NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — The Tennessee State School Board approved a formula that would let specific fourth-grade families know how much their children must improve to go onto the fifth grade.
This is all part of the controversial third-grade retention law that took effect last year. The law said that students — who failed to meet the standards in third grade but were allowed to move on — have to show significant progress in the fourth grade or they will be required to repeat the grade. About 12,000 fourth graders are at risk statewide, more than 1,000 in Metro Nashville schools.
Thousands of students across Middle Tennessee took part in summer school and tutoring to prepare for this year's TCAP test which will be given later this spring. Students will be required to get a certain score if they want to move on to the next grade.
On Friday, the state Board of Education voted to approve the formula that will determine how well students must do. School board members said they would rather approve a formula they didn't like than provide no direction for school districts and administrators this close to the TCAP test.
How were kids scrutinized in third grade?
Under Tennessee's controversial Third Grade Retention Law, if a student fails to meet the standard in the Reading/Language Arts portion of the TCAP test, they have three options. They can:
- Go to one of the state's summer reading camps.
- Sign up for tutoring during the fourth grade.
- Appeal the decision.
A spokesperson for the Tennessee Department of Education told NewsChannel 5 if a child received a successful appeal, they shouldn't have to meet fourth-grade achievement standards.
What is the formula?
The proposed formula is a little hard to follow. Essentially, the state takes your child's third-grade TCAP score, compares it to test scores of other students with similar testing history and comes up with a number.
That number is subtracted by 50% and divided by eight. That's supposed to represent academic progress from third grade into high school.
That final number will determine how many percentage points your child's fourth-grade TCAP test score needs to improve.
The formula is worked out below for you to see.
What you can do as a parent
NewsChannel 5 reached out to 10 districts in Middle Tennessee before this vote.
Their advice?
Keep communicating with the local district — teachers, principal, school board members, and superintendent. State officials said all information will come at the local level, and that it will not come directly from the Tennessee Department of Education.
How you can share your story
We understand getting through this process might feel overbearing.
If you hit snags or want to share your journey through this retention, we are here to listen, and we do want to hear from you.
You can email us at newsroom@newschannel5.com.
If you have questions about fourth-grade retention, email emily.west@newschannel5.com.
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